Prince Philip - an enduring legacy
Miriam Cates MP | The Barnsley Chronicle | April 2021
Following the death of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, I know the thoughts and prayers of people across Barnsley are with the Queen and the Royal Family. Prince Philip was an internationally recognised figure, but he was also a husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather who will be sorely missed by his family.
Over the last few days, I’ve read numerous obituaries and tributes to the Duke, discovering more about his long and interesting life. One of the most prominent of his achievements was founding the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in 1956, a scheme that has given millions of young people across the world the opportunity to improve their confidence and skills and to serve others. For many, like me, this has had life-changing consequences.
As a teenager I took part in the scheme and was privileged to meet the Duke of Edinburgh in 2001 when I received my Gold Award at St James’ Palace. The most memorable experience of the Award for me was the 50-mile hike that I undertook with friends through the Scottish Highlands. I will never forget the feeling of independence – at one point we were over a days’ walk from the nearest road – and I learned a lot about teamwork and perseverance.
But the other aspects of the scheme also had a lasting impact on my life. For the ‘service’ element of the Award, I spent a several hours each week helping younger children, many with learning difficulties, to learn science. This experience inspired me to choose teaching as a vocation and I’ve no doubt that many other young peoples’ lives were similarly guided by the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
Setting up the scheme is one of the Duke’s most enduring and public legacies. Back in the 1950s, National Service was ending and the world had been changed forever by WWII. Young people needed a new focus and new opportunities, and I have no doubt the same is true today.
But Prince Philip also left a personal legacy in the example of his own character. As a talented and charismatic young man with a glittering naval career ahead of him, he chose to put aside personal ambition to serve the Queen and our country. This was not a one-off act of self-denial, but must instead have been an almost daily decision to submit again to his role as consort and supporter-in-chief of Her Majesty.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s commitment to a life of service is challenging to our culture today, and I know that I personally have much to learn from his example.
Prince Philip showed that when we surrender personal interest for the greater good we do not become less as individuals; rather we become part of something far bigger than ourselves and have the chance to leave an enduring legacy that surpasses any individual achievement.
This article was originally published in the Barnsley Chronicle in April 2021
